What To Expect From Fanatics Sportsbook When It Launches In New York

Fanatics Sportsbook will enter the New York sports betting market by spring 2024 at the latest. And it promises to bring a one-stop shop for sports fans and bettors in the Empire State.

Earlier this year, Fanatics Sportsbook launched in Tennessee and Ohio, and soon will be active in 13 additional markets, including the NY sports betting industry. This is thanks to Fanatics’ recent $150 million purchase of PointsBet Sportsbook’s US business.

Fanatics already operates a successful sports apparel shop, with a strong online presence as well as retail stores across the country. With its recent move into the sports betting industry, Fanatics hopes to become a hub for everything a sports fan needs: apparel, memorabilia and wagering.

When will Fanatics Sportsbook come to New York?

Because PointsBet has a New York sportsbook license, Fanatics Sportsbook NY will soon have the ability to operate in the Empire State. Fanatics will need to clear some legal hurdles to transfer the license, so the move won’t happen overnight.

Fanatics expects to close its purchase of PointsBet on Aug. 31. Then, Fanatics plans to launch in three PointsBet states at a time until all licenses move into its ownership. This is expected to be completed by May 2024.

The timeline was laid out in a PointsBet agreement document:

“The Initial Completion is expected to be completed on or about August 31, 2023. The “Sunset Date” for the Initial Completion and Subsequent Completion to occur is February 2024, with potential extension to May 2024. At the Initial Completion, Purchaser will acquire the entities that own and operate PointsBet’s business in at least three (3) states, with others following on a rolling basis (the “Initial U.S. States”).”

It remains unclear which states Fanatics will prioritize. But considering NY stands as one of the largest legal sports betting markets in North America, one can assume that New Yorkers won’t need to wait long for Fanatics Sportsbook once it finalizes the acquisition of PointsBet.

Plus, football season represents the most profitable time of year for sportsbooks. With that in mind, Fanatics will likely be eager to join the major markets as close to that time of year as possible.

What to expect from Fanatics Sportsbook NY

Fanatics currently operates in just two states: Tennessee and Ohio. But Fanatics Sportsbook sits in a beta testing stage. Meaning the markets offered remain limited and only select bettors have access to them.

Fanatics’ operation of a sports apparel and memorabilia shop represents a unique quality unmatched by any other sports betting operator. Because of this, Fanatics may roll out unique promotions once launched in New York.

It recently tested one out in the Buckeye State. But the Ohio Casino Control Commission almost immediately requested that Fanatics discontinue the offer. The promotion went viral on Twitter when an Ohioan shared a screenshot of what appeared when he tried purchasing a $30 Brooklyn Dodgers hat from Fanatics. The company offered the customer a $30 bonus bet on the sportsbook for purchasing the item.

So, @Fanatics is offering a bonus bet to everyone who purchases an item on site?!?

Obviously they won’t let kids take advantage of the promo, but presenting it to everyone who places an item in the cart? Really?

This is quite problematic for them and the industry as a whole. pic.twitter.com/2WGmPhizOY

— Jamie Salsburg (@jamiesalsburg) May 17, 2023

While Fanatics’ goal is to become a one-stop shop for sports fans, it’s likely the shop and sportsbook will remain separate entities. So New Yorkers shouldn’t expect to browse between Fanatics shop site and sportsbook on a single platform, as that would inevitably attract individuals to sports betting that are underage.

Fanatics can’t continue getting out of line with sportsbook promos

It’s unclear which OCCC rule Fanatics violated with its apparel purchasing sportsbook promotion. But the most clear and obvious issue is that it would attract people that aren’t of legal age to wager on sports.

When Fanatics New York launches, it will have the ability to screen out new users who are below the 21-year-old age limit. Sportsbooks require personal data like date of birth during account creation.

But if an individual is browsing Fanatics’ apparel site and clicks on an item they like, there’s no way for Fanatics to verify if the person is old enough to gamble. Fanatics could verify age if the person browsing the site signs in to their Fanatics shop account. But it’s impossible to do so if they don’t have an account.

There’s been a crackdown on sports betting advertisements and marketing across North America. And a focal point of the tighter regulations is the elimination of sportsbooks targeting young people.

Earlier this year, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) unanimously voted to enact stricter regulations allowed by gaming operators. A main tenant of the new package states:

“Prohibiting advertising to a target audience that is reasonably foreseeable to comprise underage persons.”

Fanatics will likely look to mesh its apparel offerings with the sportsbooks to transfer customers to the betting side of the business. Whether it can do so without exposing underage bettors to sportsbook marketing remains to be seen. But it remains a tight line to toe.